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Mary "Mollie" Melbourne Borland
Written by Bill Boggess, billboggess@webtv.net -
November 2007 |
"Solon
Borland & FAMILY"
"Chapter 3: Solon's Children"
Mary Melbourne BORLAND
(11-22-07)
SOLON BORLAND (1811VA-1864TX) reportedly had seven children. Thomas
& Harold ("Little Solon") with first wife Huldah, possibly one with
second wife Eliza, rumored to have had one by Creole lady friend, George
Godwin, Fanny Green & Mary Melbourne with third and last wife Mary.
We found documentation the five known children, Thomas, Harold ("Little
Solon"), George Godwin, Fanny Green, Mary Melbourne plus Solon's two
granddaughters Grace Melbourne and Mary Borland BEATTIE, lived lives any
parent should be proud about. We were unable to trace his four
grandsons, Russell & Charles BORLAND, Godwin Borland MOORES, or George M
BEATTIE, --- hopefully they too led good lives.
Material used herein from The College of William & Mary archives is
noted with (WM).
3E. MARY (Mollie) MELBOURNE BORLAND (1850AR-1938MO):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary, known as Mollie, at least during her younger years, named for her
musically gifted and talented mother, Mary Isabel MELBOURNE
(MILBOURN/E?) (1824LA-1862AR), was third and last known born Friday, 28
June 1850 in Hot Springs, Arkansas while her father was seated in
Washington city as Arkansas' fourth United States Senator. First married
in Memphis to John M BEATTIE having three known children, widowed in
1878, second marriage June 1889 at Little Rock to widower Colonel Oliver
Crosby GRAY, died in Kansas City 17 February 1938, following a lengthily
illness, ashes buried (unmarked) next to second husband in Evergreen
Cemetery, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Let it be noted: --- Mollie, with daughters Grace M & Mary Borland,
were, for some gracious and unknown reason, dedicated to Deaf-Mute
Schools, totaling nearly one-hundred years of faithful service.
She too was active during civil war days in Princeton, Dallas county,
Arkansas and very close to her older sister Fannie, is found throughout
Virginia Davis GRAY's (1st Mrs O C GRAY) 1863-1865 diary, published 1983
Arkansas Historical Quarterly, and both her unpublished but transcribed,
'baby diary' of son Carl and in her letters. She, in October and her
mother in September nearly died shortly after 1850 birth at home in Hot
Springs with Solon rushing home from Washington.
(WM) Mentioned in uncle Euclid BORLAND's 16 Oct 1851 letter from Hot
Springs, Arkansas to George GODWIN of Suffolk, Nansemond county,
Virginia who with wife Fanny GREEN raised and schooled her father (for
whom her brother and sister were named) and half-brother Thomas, ---
"Little Mary" noted:
"...running about and talking plainly."
(WM) Mollie's letters of November 1866 & May 1867 (future step-son, Carl
Raymond GRAY's born, 28 September 1867), from Princeton to cousin,
thrice wounded former confederate officer, Euclid BORLAND, Jr, at
University of Virginia (Fay HEMPSTEAD of Arkansas, a fellow student)
reveal; she thought herself at ages 16 & 17, unattractive, overweight
and was bored with the town of Princeton, Arkansas which had only three
stores and three churches (Presbyterian, Methodist & Baptist), with
preachers visiting but once monthly. She loved her boarding house lady,
war widow Mrs Martha A (Gee) HOLMES (1816VA-1901AR) because she was a
southern lady from Virginia (whom her father gave money and two female
slaves to look after his daughters when he left in 1863). Mollie's
penmanship was far superior to that of sister, the Poetess, Fanny Green.
Mollie lost her entire known family except her children, before she
died: half-brother Thomas, 9 January 1859, brother George Godwin, 24
June 1862, mother, 23 October 1862, father, 1 January 1864, husband John
BEATTIE, 1878, sister Fanny, 23 August 1879, second husband O C GRAY, 9
December 1905 and other half-brother Harold, 20 July1921. Fay HEMPSTEAD,
in his 1890 book, notes she and Harold were then living.
Age 19 (1869), she left Arkansas with newly wed sister Fannie and
husband, James C MOORES, for Memphis. (marriage was at Mollie's future
second husband's home, O C & Virginia GRAY) Mary, 21 y/o, married John M
BEATTIE, born in Scotland, at Memphis, Tennessee, bond (see attached)
obtained Thursday, 22 February 1872, with Fannie's husband, James MOORES
jointly making Twelve Hundred and Fifty Dollar bond. Its unclear, but
doubtful, this be same John BEATTIE/BEATTY mentioned in Virginia's 1983
published diary, footnote #61, a private with Twelfth Missouri Calvary
Regiment, from Kansas City, Jackson County, MO. Their union produced
three children before John was seemingly caught up in the Memphis yellow
fever epidemic, without records, most likely died 1878, give or take a
year as did some 5,000 others, including Fannie's husband James C
MOORES, bankrupting City of Memphis, then Fannie the following
year,1879.
Widow Mollie, listed "Marg M", in Shelby county, Tennessee 1880 census,
appears to be operating a boarding house and is less seven y/o daughter
Grace Melbourne. A check was made to determine if by chance Grace was
inflicted with a hearing impairment, checking from 1879-82 at Little
Rock's Deaf-Mute Institute found negative, as was 1910 census.
Its unknown to me when Mollie returned to Arkansas after going to
Tennesse in 1869, but in 1883 she was appointed Matron at Arkansas
Deaf-Mute Institute
http://members.fortunecity.com/zoinky/deaf.htm
serving six years,
http://books.google.com/books?id=tjEWAAAAIAAJ
(search: 1st, "Mrs M M
Beatie", 2nd, "Mrs Beattie"), by new superintendent Major John C
LITTLEPAGE, ending with 2nd marriage, replaced by Celia Laura (Ramson)
CLARKE, w/o Francis Devereux CLARKE (1849NC-1913MI). He assumed
superintendency in 1885 coming from sixteen years at New York Deaf
school serving until he left for Michigan Deaf school December 1892.
Younger brother Thomas P CLARKE (1859TX-1925WA) arrived at Arkansas in
1887, and as a widower in 1914 married Mollie's youngest, Mary Borland,
in Washington.
The Clarke family history is most exciting to study, mother, writer Mary
Bayard and father, Colonel Willam J CLARKE, see:
http://books.google.com/books?id=MQe5mTwIwWMC
(search: "Francis D
Clarke"), Mary Bayard Clarke,
http://books.google.com/books?isbn=1570034737
William J Clarke papers ,
http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/htm/00153.html
Mary (Mollie) M. (Borland) BEATTIE is listed living at 712 E 6th St.,
Little Rock in 1883, a Matron, when visited by her friend, Virginia
Davis GRAY (first Mrs O C GRAY, mother of his children). This visit is
written of in 26 November 1883 letter by/at Virginia's Fayetteville
home:
"...a rambling English cottage type, olive green in color, with
charming ornamental woodwork at the porch and vines and shrubbery in
just the right places," (description by neighbor Hattie E Williams)
on West Dickson street at Gregg avenue, were after 9-months illness, she
died of cancer, 1:30 pm, Tuesday, 17 August 1886. Three years later, it
became home for Mollie and her two youngest children, Mary Borland and
George with step-sister Ethel Davis GRAY (1871AR- 1910IL) home from
school in Wichita, Kansas, both girls attending classes at AIU.
The 1883 Little Rock, Polk's City Directory listed Mary BEATTIE as a
Matron at Deaf Institute, as did the 1886 Directory.
Monday, 17th June 1889 widow Mary Melbourne (Borland) BEATTIE married
widower Colonel Oliver Crosby GRAY (1832ME-1905AR) (served under her
father in 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry, Confederate States Army), in
Little Rock, both with teenage children setting up house, as above
mentioned, in Fayetteville, at his home on West Dickson Street, next
west to historic Frisco depot to whom Oliver had provided eastern most
portion of his 2-1/4 acre homestead, purchased 10 July 1877 for $1000
from Judge LaFayette and Mary A. GREGG, (their historic home is west,
across street, at 339 North Gregg Avenue), he a Union Colonel, and
Supreme Court Justice, credited with getting the university into
Fayetteville in1871.
Oliver was appointed, among other duties, Chairman of the Mathematics'
Department at Arkansas Industrial University (AIU) (after 1899,
University of Arkansas) July 1888 following his service as Mayor of
Fayetteville from 1886, that after serving as first superintendent of
Fayetteville's first public school, Washington School
http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Academics/37048/
a school building he with
fellow school board member and neighbor, LaFayette GREGG, got built in
1885 as Fayetteville's first public school building.
Mollie and Oliver remained in Fayetteville at until May 1895. After
serving 21 years at AIU & Fayetteville, he was appointed superintendent
of Arkansas School for the Blind (ASB) (see photo#1), Little Rock,
where, 26 years earlier, in 1869, ASB named their 1st brick building
http://www.rootsweb.com/~arwashin/pics/school4blind.html
in honor of
"Colonel Gray"
http://www.arkansasschoolfortheblind,org/history.htm
(search: "Gray") It
was built on, former Arkansas' Territorial Governor Senator William
Savin FULTON's, property, "Rosewood", 18th and Spring streets, land once
owned by Roswell BEEBE, property at east side of farm house (1870
platted Wright's Addition) where 2nd wife Mary had been raised four
years, starting 1854. Mary is documented as Matron for years 1896 and
1898.
The Blind school moved in 1938 to present location near Deaf school,
later, in 1948, its old location buildings were demolished, --- using
300,000 of school's bricks, cleaned by prisoners, in the then new
Governors Mansion now at 18th & Center Street.
A political problem arose in 1898 with GRAY being replaced for a couple
years, spending them in Searcy, White county, at Speers-Langsford
Military Institute. Oliver was again appointed superintendent so
returned and died at the Blind School, Saturday, 9 December 1905
following 45 years of unselfish service to his adopted Arkansas,
defending it with his life in war & peace, educating and being a role
model to hundreds of its leaders, such as the Honorable George B ROSE
(1851AR- 1943AR), s/o U M ROSE of Little Rock who rose and gave a
glowing tribute to his former teacher at his funeral, published along
with a nice Editorial as well as Colonel GRAY's picture and obituary.
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/me/lincoln/newspapers/tributet3nw.txt
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/me/lincoln/newspapers/deathofc2nw.txt
Other papers, in and outside of Arkansas published lengthly obituaries
of her husband, several recorded:
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ar/pulaski/obits/grayoc.txt
A crowd of over 100 past students and friends, many in high positions,
attended services with Masonic honors at Presbyterian Church, 5th &
Scott before his body was removed by special train to Fayetteville for
burial the following day in Masonic Evergreen cemetery, next to his
first wife, Virginia LaFayette Davis (1834ME-1886AR).
The Arkansas Deaf-Mute Institute is reported destroyed by fire September
30, 1899, so Tom and wife Lottie KIRKLAND (born New York taught Western
Pennsylvania deaf school, possibly having a twin sister as clerk in
Washington) went to Michigan as did both of Mollie's daughters, Grace M
and Mary Borland again joining up with Francis D CLARKE and wife Celia,
he heading school from 1892, and jointly as Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge of Michigan, laid corner stone for new school sixteen months
after other was destroyed by fire, a month before his September 1913
sudden death at age 64. Younger brother Thomas P and wife had gone to
Oregon's school in 1902, then Vancouver, Washington in1906.
Its unknown to me how/why/when Mollie moved to Kansas City, so her life
is lost to me for thirty-three years until her death. She surely (?)
attended Mary's wedding in 1914, and possibly her second marriage, ca
1927, to Dr John C BELL.
Mrs. Mary Beattie GRAY, "Mollie", passed away in Kansas City, Thursday,
17 February 1938, after years of poor health. Her ashes were:
"...buried beside Col. Gray.",
see obituary in Northwest Arkansas Times, 18 February, 1938,
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ar/pulaski/obits/graymb.txt
witnessed by daughter Mary Borland (Beattie) Clarke-BELL, widow of
Thomas P CLARKE, wife of Dr. John C. BELL, Belzoni, Mississippi with
step-son Carl Raymond GRAY, President (actually vice-chairman), Union
Pacific Railroad, Omaha, Nebraska, --- grave is at (see photo) Lot 144,
in Historic Masonic Evergreen Cemetery at Fayetteville, Arkansas, east
across cemetery road from her father's friend and famous Arkansan,
Governor (Colonel) Archibald YELL's grave (see photo).
We found Colonel GRAY's stone toppled to the ground in 2003 so sought
his masonic brothers, the Masonic Order, to correct, but ended up having
to correct it ourselves spring of2004.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ar/cemph/washingtonph.htm
We also
reported, with copy of obituary, the lack of Mary's name on graveyard
listing, and it supposedly is being added, for there is NO gravestone.
Hattie E. WILLIAMS' May 1958 published article in Flashback of
Washington County (AR) Historical Society about her neighbors the GRAYS,
mentions her high thoughts towards the 2nd Mrs GRAY, Mary (Mollie)
Melbourne (Borland) Beattie GRAY.
see:
http://www.sallysfamilyplace.com/MulberryGrove/borlandsolon.htm
(search;
"Mary [Mollie]")
3E-a. GRACE MELBOURNE BEATTIE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born in Memphis, Shelby county, Tennessee, December 1873, never married,
served in deaf schools fifty-six years (1888-1944), at Arkansas,
Michigan and Colorado, buried 1954 now with sister's family in Belzoni,
Mississippi.
Grace M, missing in 1880 census, became a true old maid school teacher.
She's found as an assistant matron in 1888 at Arkansas Deaf-Mute
Institute
http://books.google.com/books?id=tjEWAAAAIAAJ
(search: "Grace M")
http://members.fortunecity.com/zoinky/deaf.htm
where her mother spent
six years as matron.
Gace M is listed as teacher in 1890, but was first found for us in City
Directory 1893-94 in 2003 by Brian ROBERTSON of Butler Center for
Arkansas Studies, Little Rock!
1900 census lists her in Flint, Michigan at Michigan School for the
Deaf, October 1901 she graduated Clarke School for the Deaf, in
Massachusetts,
http://books.google.com/books?id=57IKAAAAIAAJ
(search:
"Grace M Beattie") going to Colorado School for the Blind & Deaf where
Lon Chaney's parents were and where I met her summer of 1936.
see:
http://books.google.com/books?id=d8AJAAAAIAAJ
(1911) (search:
"Grace M Beattie") and,
http://books.google.com/books?id=xr4JAAAAIAAJ
(1915) (search: "Grace M
Beattie")
Grace M was found in Colorado Springs' 1902 City Directory, during
search for us by Colorado Springs Public Library, with Grace teaching at
Colorado School for the Blind & Deaf, where she remained until 1944, not
listed employed in 1945, remaining in Colorado Springs last recorded
in1948, no City Directories again until 1951, when she is missing. We
assume she moved to her sister's in Belzoni, Mississippi where Grace and
sister's second husband, Mississippi born John C BELL, died 1954, Mary
in 1962, all buried in Belzoni, Humphreys county, Mississippi cemetery.
My cousin, Harriette Flora (Hopkins) ANGLEA, born 1921 in St Louis,
Missouri while her father was a medical student, then of Pueblo,
Colorado, now California (celebrating their sixty-fourth wedding
anniversary June 2007, having given up water-skiing at summer home on
Lake Tahoe in 2006), told me, mid-2003, she remembered 'Aunt Grace'
attending Sunday dinners in Colorado Springs at our grandmother's, Maude
(Wallick) FLORA (1870IN- 1940CO), ie: Grace's step-sister-in-law (widow
of step-brother Carl Raymond GRAY's wife Harriette FLORA's
(1869KS-1956ME)(reported as first white child born in Montgomery county,
Kansas) younger brother, Dr. William Walter FLORA (1871KS-1922CO)).
Dr Robert KNUTSON's wife, Eleanor Howard (Gray) KNUTSON (1923ME-1994MN)
granddaughter of Carl Raymond GRAY, submitted the 1863-1865 diary of his
mother, Virginia Davis GRAY, for publication after meeting Dr Carl H
MONEYHON of the University of Arkansas, Little Rock during a Minneapolis
Civil War Round Table.
Bob recalls Grace M and Mary Borland visiting their step-brother Carl
and wife Harriette at "Gray Rocks" (first known in 1919 as "Friendship
Cottage") on Pleasant Point, Cushing, Knox county, Maine during summer
vacations. (see Grace (left) & Mary's ca 1930 picture, on Harbour
Island, Maine (once home for Carl's mother's favorite uncle, Richard
DAVIS), furnished by KNUTSON)
Grace M was included in Carl Raymond GRAY's 1939 will.
see:
http://www.sallysfamilyplace.com/MulberryGrove/borlandsolon.htm
(search;
"Grace M" )
3E-b. MARY BORLAND BEATTIE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born 2 April 1875 in Memphis, Shelby county, Tennessee, graduating "with
distinction" in Class of 1896 (see photo), at Arkansas Industrial
University (now University of Arkansas), first class to wear cap and
gowns. Taught nearly thirty years at Deaf schools in Arkansas, Michigan
& Washington, (possibly (?) Mississippi) twice married, no known
children, died 8 February 1962, buried at Belzoni, Humpreys county,
Mississippi.
Mary's classmate, John MARTINEAU, became Arkansas' Governor in 1927,
then United States district judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas
in 1928, receiving a belated Honorary LL D degree of University of
Arkansas, in 1929, same year as did her step-brother Carl Raymond GRAY,
then, president Union Pacific RR, school where in 1874, Carl's mother,
Virginia LaFayette (Davis) GRAY, was first 'chair', of their Drawing and
painting, until 1881, now Art Department, while Mary's step-father,
Carl's father, the Colonel, started its Civil Engineering School. The
University of Arkansas built & dedicated "GRAY HALL" in 1906 in his
honor
http://www.rootsweb.com/~arwashin/pics/grayhall.html
which they
demolished in 1966, hauling off his honors with all other unwanted
debris to the trash dump covering it over with dirt and then forgotten,
--- replaced with Mullins Library in 1966. Prior to starting the
engineering school in 1874, Oliver served as president of first
chartered institution of higher learning in Arkansas, Masonic, St.
Johns' College of Arkansas in Little Rock
where while president, 1871-74 was started their Law School, he
soliciting faculty members, U M ROSE, whose statute stands in the
National Statuary Hall, Washington, DC, Augustus H GARLAND, later
Governor, United States Senator. appointed United States Attorney
General and other like men.
Mary Borland BEATTIE is noted in the Sixteenth Biennial Report of
Arkansas Deaf-Mute Institute, pages 5 & 24 (see attachment furnished by
Sue WATSON of Arkansas School for the Blind), to wit:
"Miss Mary Beattie, almost brought up in the
Institution [1883-89], and for several years our successful Art teacher,
was, during the session of 1900, transferred to a manual class, in which
she did excellent work. At close of this session she resigned, much to
our regret, and is now a teacher in the Michigan School for the Deaf."
See her written article and poem of 1911:
http://books.google.com/books?id=d8AJAAAAIAAJ
(search: "Mary Borland")
1900 finds Mary as #12 on Twelfth Census of The United States, teaching
at the "Deaf-Mute Institute" but shortly thereafter went to Michigan.
See Mary Borland BEATTIE's Arkansas Industrial University's school
picture, and picture with her sister Grace M (left) on Harbor Island,
Knox county, Maine preparing lobsters while visiting step-brother Carl R
GRAY, ca.1930's, This Class of 1896 group photo, was, oddly found in
book by Ethel C. SIMPSON of University of Arkansas, the supervisor who
VERY COLDLY refused to reply to our May 2003 request for information
regarding the GRAYs, then in 2004, as one of five committee members,
another being Dr Jeannie WHAYNE, Chair of the Department of History,
University of Arkansas, whose name is credited on "Arkansas Biography",
published 2000, including Honorable Solon BORLAND using incorrect dates
and names, --- said committee of five, refusing to place a small sign
denoting location of former "GRAY HALL", ---- he serving 18, she 7 years
leading and teaching at AIU. This all occurring after we first learned,
via 1880 census, they had taught at AIU, during our beginning days of
this research. Included in picture is Oliver's Presbyterian minister's
daughter, Lila Chunn DAVIES, whose father, Rev S W DAVIES, gave their
Benediction (Oliver served as Church Elder for many years).
Mary Borland moved to Flint Michigan where sister Grace M and the CLARKE
brothers with their wives, Celia Laura RANSOM & Lottie KIRKLAND, Francis
D, superintendent, Tom, her future husband, head of ninth grade, were
all with Michigan Deaf and Blind school.
She spent until about 1912 in Michigan then to Vancouver and
Washington's deaf school where Thomas P CLARKE, s/o Mary Bayard and
Colonel William J CLARKE,---- was superintendent with first wife Lottie
KIRKLAND whom he married in Arkansas, and who died 1913.
Mary Borland BEATTIE, July 2nd 1914, married Thomas Pollock CLARKE
(named for past family members). The newspaper article about the wedding
did not mention her mother, Mrs Mary Beattie GRAY by name, stating only
a few close friends and relatives were present. Her sister Grace M was
her attendant. Her step-brother, Carl GREY (sic) then president of Great
Northern RR (1912-1914) is mentioned.
Tom & Mary are reported to have returned to Arkansas', Arkansas School
for the Deaf in 1917 where two important legislative acts were enacted:
one act changed the name of the School from "Arkansas Deaf-Mute
Institute" to "Arkansas School for the Deaf" and the other act placed
the school under an honorary Board of Directors. Tom was then enticed
back to Washington by Governor HART in 1919 where in 1920 he became ill.
Tom gave up his position as superintendent becoming a teacher for five
years then died August 27,1925.
An interesting side-note:
Tom was a proud owner of one of the first automobiles in area in 1906:
http://www.columbian.com/news/strange/quirky/twisted.cfm
"Driving downtown, scattering horses everywhere, Thomas P Clarke,
superintendent of Washington School for the Deaf parked his car in front
of a downtown business. While he was inside doing some shopping, police
gave him a ticket for not having his vehicle tied to a hitching post.
"Tom told police this vehicle are not a horse! Next day he drove into
town, parked right next to Police station and threw a large weight with
a rope attached to his bumper on the ground. He walked off and did his
shopping."
Widow Mary Borland (Beattie) Clarke reportedly had a car accident
November 1925, uninjured, requiring $1425 to repair, while on way to
school but thereafter became lost to us, as was her mother since 1905.
2007 Fall edition of Washington School for the Deaf Alumni Association
publication said she went to Mississippi School for the deaf, however we
can NOT confirm such.
Her second marriage was in 1926/7, to a native Mississippian, Doctor
John C BELL confirmed by 1930 census, at home in Belzoni, Mississippi,
where he's found in 1920 census as single, 45 y/o, owning home. She is
next found at her mother's death, February 17th 1938, where we learned
she had married Dr John BELL and moved to Belzoni, Mississippi.
She and step-brother Carl Raymond GRAY buried her mother's ashes next to
her step-father Oliver C GRAY in Fayetteville's Evergreen cemetery
without a grave stone.
Mary was in step-brother Carl's 1939 will, she's also in Carl's widow,
Harriette Flora GRAY's 1956 will.
Mary Borland (Beattie) Clarke-BELL died 8 February 1962, buried with
second husband John and sister Grace M, in Belzoni, Humphreys county,
Mississippi cemetery.
see:
http://www.sallysfamilyplace.com/MulberryGrove/borlandsolon.htm
(search;
"Mary Borland")
3E-c. GODWIN M BEATTIE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born 1877 in Memphis, Shelby county, Tennessee, is noted in a 1903
letter of his step-father as being in New York working for the Oliver
Typewriter company and in the article by Hattie E. WILLIAMS, published
May 1958 in Flashback, the Washington County Historical Society's
newsletter, "OUR NEIGHBORS -- THE GRAYS", as her same age, otherwise not
found before nor after his step-father's, Colonel O. C. GRAY, 1905
obituaries.
<>------<>------<>
Additional Comments:
Much information concerning Francis D and Thomas P CLARKE was gained
from Arkie Peart, who is associated with Washington School for the Deaf
Alumni Association. |
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